I ate shark-fin soup once. Dining from a prix-fixe menu a lifetime ago on a trip to Asia, I had no idea what it was or that sharks had been maimed for that day’s “delicacy.” The taste simply didn’t translate. I might have managed the broth if not for the bland-tasting intruder. As I hesitantly chewed on a rubbery bit, its slimy coating slid disconcertingly around my mouth. To humor my host, who paid a lot for the meal, I chewed maybe two more bites . . . but that was too much. I’ve eaten odd foods before and since. None has made such an impression on me as shark-fin soup did.

So when California and Toronto recently passed bans, I was among those who did not shed a tear. I ate it out of ignorance before the issue had gained so much attention. But many people around the world buy and sell the soup's key ingredient with full knowledge of the cruelty and controversy involved. Because of its popularity at weddings and business banquets, hotel chains typically offer shark-fin soup on event menus. But as the practice of shark-finning came under increasing scrutiny several years ago, a few hotels responded by offering other soup options, often in a footnote on the menu. But shark-fin soup still sits prominently on many menus, even at a number of Western chains.

Leave it to Asia’s oldest hotel company to remove it from the menu completely. The parent company of the prestigious Peninsula Hotels announced its decision a few days ago. Clement K.M. Kwok, the CEO of Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, said, “By removing shark fin from our menus, we hope [to help preserve] the marine ecosystem for the world’s future generations . . . [and] inspire other hospitality companies to do the same . . . Our industry will play a role in helping to preserve the biodiversity of our oceans.”

At the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Hong Kong, Silvy Pun works to protect sharks. She explained: "The Peninsula hotel chain is setting an example for other hotels and restaurants to follow. The decision also suggests that consumers have become more eco-conscious and market demand is changing. Shark-fin soup is no longer a must-have item."

November 09, 2011

You may not have heard of the emerald ash borer (EAB), a glittery green beetle with a copper-red belly, but it's notorious among biologists, conservationists, and others who care about America’s forests.

Since landing on U.S. shores in the 1990s, the EAB has killed more than 50 million North American ash trees. Cities and homeowners have spent loads of money on pesticides and tree removal, but until invasive-pest expert Juliann Aukema (and some others) published a study, nobody was sure how much financial damage the beetles were doing. The team’s estimate is baffling: $850 million in local government costs. And $380 million in residential costs. Each year.

EABs drill into ash trees and lay eggs, allowing their larvae to cozy up to the tree’s phloem and xylem and start feeding, effectively starving the host. In a mature infestation, you can see a barkless bit of trunk laced with the EAB’s looping tunnels of destruction. RIP, ash tree.

And it could be your fault. If you build fires, you could unknowingly be an EAB conduit. According to Aukema, tree-killing bugs and pathogens hitch rides to virgin territory on firewood. The chain of events is easy enough to imagine, especially if you saw Contagion: A healthy-looking tree is felled in northern Michigan, logs are trucked down to Chicago, where a peacoated couple buys wood for their new fireplace. Next thing they know, it looks like a beaver’s been chomping around in the backyard. Where'd all the bark go? Your cozy fire suddenly costs a lot more than you thought.

What to do? A website called Don’t Move Firewood encourages people to use only locally grown logs in hearths and campfires. It says the best way to prevent the spread of EABs — and the similarly destructive chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease — is to buy wood that was cut as close as possible to where you'll be burning it.

November 08, 2011

The eco-impact of trips to the grocery store can really add up. This week’s tips look at ways to go easy on the planet when it’s time to stock the fridge and pantry.

Tip #2: Avoid packaged foods.

Most markets are filled with processed and packaged foods. Think of the freezer section or the aisles lined with chips and crackers and cookies: It’s one packaged item after another. Of course, it’s unreasonable to expect people to cut out packaged foods altogether, but you'd be wise to spend more time in the produce section. Why? Well, everyone knows about recycling. But if you take it a step further and think about precycling, you'll think through your purchase so that it generates as little waste as possible — and you'll avoid the need to recycle in the first place.

For now, take comfort that living in that vertical building is more efficient than spreading out over a horizontal quarter-acre. But when you finally (or if you ever) do decide it’s time to conform to the American dream and go house shopping, make sure that, just as you do with furniture or cars, you buy used. Tract developments often lay waste to fragile ecosystemsin the name ofsuburban sprawl. Besides, building a house creates an insane amount of waste. So don’t encourage developers by buying their brand-new McMansions. Instead, shop for charming older cottages; it’s far greener to plan for a responsible remodel of a pre-owned abode than to have a house built from scratch just for you. (If you must buy new, choose an ubergreen home like Meritage’s net-zero offerings.)

November 02, 2011

In September 2009, most of the inhabitants of Dunkard Creek suddenly died. The 40-mile stream, which had been one of its region's most biodiverse waterways, flows along the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border and empties into the Monongahela River. A sudden increase in total dissolved solids (TDS) — likely wastewater from coal mining or fracking operations — led to a deadly algae bloom, suffocating tens of thousands of creatures.

In the days after the massive die-off, as officials sorted out the mystery of the Dunkard's demise, local artist Ann Payne wondered how she could contribute to the discussion. The result was Payne's two-year collaboration, Reflections: Homage to Dunkard Creek. Ninety artists created images inspired by the animals that perished in Dunkard Creek. An exhibition of the works, sponsored by the Mountain Institute Appalachia Program, will travel the region through 2012.

The EPA ultimately pinned the environmental crime on coal-mine drainage and fined the operators of the nearby Blacksville No. 2 mine. Other experts insisted on another culprit: wastewater from fracking operations.

For the local artists, all of whom have ties to the Monongahela Watershed, the project is "a memorial," Payne said. "The watershed is literally a part of each one of us."

October 13, 2011

Pets are such a source of joy, but America’s more than 160 million owned dogs and cats do impact the environment. This week's tips are about how to reduce their environmental pawprint.

Tip #4: Deal with their waste.

One of the biggest hassles of having a pet is dealing with their poop. Not only is it inherently unpleasant, but it also poses environmental hazards such as water pollution, transmitting diseases to other species, and, if left unchecked in public spaces, causing human resentment toward animals. Do your duty by picking up any business your pet leaves behind using a biodegradable bag or a Skooperbox. Other green ways to dispose of the stuff include flushing it, composting it, and burying it. There are also plenty of eco-friendly cat litters out there.

September 02, 2011

Escape to the movies with one of our Movie Review Friday selections. Each week we review a film with an environmental theme. Seen a good eco-flick lately? Send us a short review and look for it in the next Movie Review Friday.

GasHole aims the camera at Big Oil in a big way, taking on the corrupt business practices that have led to high gas prices, inefficient vehicles, and political instability. Oil companies, it would seem, have a habit of buying and squelching patents for fuel-efficient vehicles. And they've stopped entire public-transit systems to keep up car demand. GasHole alleges that these corporations also raise prices and gouge consumers after tragedies like Hurricane Katrina.

If you already know how dysfunctional the global oil economy is, you can skip this film, whose main merit is its willingness to ask the tough questions. When it comes to providing answers, though, the filmmakers bumble, jumping from bad graphics of Buicks getting 100 mpg to Joshua Jackson (does anyone even remember Dawson’s Creek?) praising his biodiesel SUV, without ever going into sufficient factual detail.

The information that this film does present is heavily biased, which is unfortunate. We recommend it as a starting point: Get enraged, then learn more elsewhere.

August 26, 2011

Who hasn’t had this moment? It’s a beautiful summer day. You lay your towel down on the beach, don your sunglasses, sit back, and dig your feet in the sand. Then your toe pushes up against something. Is it a shell? No, too soggy. Some seaweed, perhaps? Unthinkingly, you reach and fish the item in question out of the sand. It’s a sweat-stained old sock. Awesome.

Marine litter is ubiquitous, and nobody quite knows how to clean it up entirely. Aberrations like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are evidence that we don't know the half of the damage we're doing to the ocean. But raising public awareness is a crucial first step. Want to get started? Sept. 17 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, an event spearheaded by the Ocean Conservancy. All over the world, people will gather on beaches to pick up a bit of trash. It's a great way to engage with your community, and can serve as an act of solidarity with environmentalists across the globe.

All the media attention seems to be paying off: Last week, the Food Network announced that it'll remove all shark-fin recipes from its databases in response to a Change.org petition. The petition, started in late July by conservationist Jessica Belsky, noted that a third of shark species are in danger of extinction, and "we have no business eating these threatened swimmers."

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